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Topic: The Village (Read 13706 times)

She stood there in the moonlight looking down at the village form on the top of a hill. It looked just like a postcard. The wind blew from the south. It went threw her long fire red hair showing her elfven ears. She was dressed in a black cloak. She was a stranger to this village, but she won't be staying long anyway. She headed down to the village looking for a place to stay for the night.

OOC: OK, without knowing anything about the scenario or style of this thread, i will enter Ravin. If i find that he is innapropriate for the situation, i will replace him with somebody else later.

IC: Through th pub doors a figure of about 5"10 in height wearing a thin black cape moves through the room up to the bar. The commotion in the bar stops for just a moment as all heads turn and then, turn back. The talk in the bar is rather quieteer now, and conversations become more sober. The bar-tender comes over to him, and after exchanging few words goes back into the wine cellar. After a few moments, the man immerges handing a rolled up piece of parchment to the black clad figure along with a single black rose. Again, a quick unsettling silence comes over the pub, and returns quickly slightly quieter and more covertly still. The figure takes the parchement, opens it and inspects it for a few moments. Then, closing the parchment he heads out of the pub immediately still holding the black rose in his left hand. As the doors start to swing shut, you see him drop the parchment on the ground, which quickly crumbles into dust, undistinguishable from the ground it was dropped on. You barely see the end of the black cape pull out of the doorway to the right, out of vision. The bar noise returns with some of its previous vigor, but clearly lacks something of what it once was.

You follow him for about a full minute at a pretty good pace as the character moves silently along the ground. As he does, his cape does not move or ruffle except by the ocasional blow ofthe wind. it is as if he is floating along the ground. He stops before what looks like a solid metal door. The door looks like a back entrance, the front entrance has been long boarded up by the quick glance you got when coming down here.

The character knocks once on the door, and a eye slot opens quickly

"who is it" Comes a voice from inside

"Give this to Kaleb" Said the dark figure as he passes the black rose through the slot of the door. "tell him that his time has come"

The rose passes through the door and the echo can be heard down the street from the slamming shut of the metal slot.

The dark figure does not move for a full two minutes. Suddenly a loud crash can be heard from the front of the building. The dark figure suddenly moves quickly. You realize that he actually has feet atthis pointas he dashes around the corner without noticing you. As he rounds the corner, a hand flies out and a man, assumably Kaleb, falls to the ground, his foot pinned to the grond by a metal Shuriken imbed in the ground. The Dark figure floats up to Kaleb and stops in front of kaleb, a tall broad shouldered man who is frantically trying to pullthe shuriken from its hold.

"Your time has come" says the dark figure and he draws a Katana with a curved end.

The man pulls free the shuriken and throws is at the dark figure with skillfull accuracy for such a poor position. The sound of metal meeting metal and a quick glint of light from the dark figures katana, and one from the shuriken and the shuriken now lays imbed in the ground by the Dark figures feet. The dark figure appears unstartled. The man is already up with a sword drawn, and several people have gathered at thehole in the once boarded up doorway with its many pieces of wood scattered about the alley, but stand there doing nothing to help Kaleb, who is clearly outmatched...

Hey Captain, is that a reinforcement chuckle or did i do something stupid. Either way, i am always wanting to know what i am doing right and wrong. Also, you know, you could always join in. No reason for you to sit in the backround and laugh OOC. Just a thought.

suddenly there was a huge crash, Callista looking slightly worried, wonders up the cold stone steps of the autrium. Climbing higher she hears voices, as she gets to the top of the stairs she turns right and walks quickly towards the boarded up door.

when she gets there she see's a couple of people talking exciditly about a fight which was going to happen, Callista's face fell as she heared the word kaleb enter the conversation, she pushes her way to the front of the crowd and see's kaleb standing there his sword drawn facing a dark figure, also with a weapon drawn, Callista's mind went into overdrive as she thought of the horrible image of the end of the battle, in an instent she was standing in the middle of the two of them, shocked voices were heared from all around her, it felt like the whole town had come to watch "Please don't do this please, I know i don't actully know why you would want to do this but please, i beg of you mister not to harm anybody here tonight, i beg you, please" Callista's eyes fell to the floor as she awaited an answer

The entire crowd watching the scene suddenly came to a hush at Callista's daring move. She had placed herself between "The Shade" as he had been called, and the holder of the black rose. Nobody had ever done such a thing before. The Shade's reputation was well known. He was well known for his complete and utter lack of sympathy towards his victims. He was rumored to have no soul, having sold it to the devil in exchange for power.

The fight between "The Shade" and Kaleb had created some commotion. Although soe sympathy was felt for him, most who recieved the black rose usually had earned the sentence from some wrong or evil. Callista on the other hand, was clearly an innocent bystander, and such a tradgic ending could not be overlooked simply with loud conversation. All felt bad for her, but none felt strongly enough to help. How would their death improve her situation. The crowd at the door watched in dead silence at the scene.

The dark figure did not lower his sword. "His death has been signed" came the voice. "he has recieved his sentence. Do you wish to trade your life for his? Do you wish to carry upon you the Death Rose?"

The figure remained unmoving, awaiting her response. His sword was upraised only a few inches from Callista, steadily held level to her throat. Kaleb, stood behind her, sword still drawn, but motionless.

A pitch silence echoed through the streets. Not even the wind broke it with her gentle song, leaving only the cold black night to console and advise Callista's decision. There was no comfort here in this moment, and it felt as if none would ever come.

Callista stood firm the sword just inches away from cutting her throat, and ending her life, she turned to kaleb and took the rose from his hand, "i accept his fate" she pulled the lock of long black hair from hiding her neck and tilted her head sideways, revealing her neck as if waiting for him to just swish down and it will all be over, she stood awaiting not shaking, not whimpering in fear, but standing strong, her long crimson dress blew out behind her as a gust of wind blew her hair rippled out to the side and then fell flat against her shoulder again she moved it, to bear her neck "Do what ever is necassary" she sighed, looking from her sidelong sight into the eyes of the man, her eyes twinkled with a menacing look as she awaited her fate.

The Shade watched her for a few seconds before speaking. "As you wish" spoke the voice. "His debt is now yours, but it is not to be paid tonight. We shall meet again"

The sword tip lowered from her throat, the Katana now held down at the dark figure's side. The figure turned around and moved back down the alley. As he did, his sword hooked the Shuriken lodged in the ground and pulled it out, spinning around the Katana blade. It goes unseen exactly how the Shuriken is stored away, but as the dark figure continued to leave, none was in his hand. The Katana, However, was still drawn.

Kaleb had barely just registered what had happened, and his weapon was still drawn. The crowd began to grow into whispers. Although they had never seen such a thing transpire, and certainly it would be repeated around the entire village later, It was still not entirely forgotten that Callista now held the Death Rose in her hand...

Callista's face torted into a small grin, maybe from the relief that she had time to prepare, her gaze fell to the rose, it was a fragile black rose, it's petals shining in the moonlight, her eyes then traveled to watch the man walk down the alley, "we will meet again" she whispered to herself "and next time i will be ready" she swung herself around and without a word to kaleb or any of the others walked into the building, she wondered to her room and sat on her bed, she pulled a largeish box from underneath her bed and opened it up, inside where weapons of all sorts, she picked up a sword sheathed in a bright silver covering, she stared at it, and then unsheathed it, it was perfectly steady in her hand, as she swung it, in each direction, she stopped the sword in mid-swing and brought it down to face level, touching the edge of the sword she ran her finger up the blade, blood dribbled down her hand from the cut on her finger, she smiled and looked at the roof as she sheathed the sword up again and placed it back in the box, she pushed the box under the bed and led on her bed, thinking to herself, maybe there was a way to just talk to this man, but Callista knew what she had to do, she either had to die, or kill him first, she felt down deep in her heart as if she knew him from somewhere before,

A knock came at the door, and then it was gently pushed opened opened. It was Gregory.

"It is ok if i come in right?" He did not really wait for a reply. "I thought you should know that Kaleb has left town. He was seen leaving not much after you left. That was brave, what you did out there, and right selfless of you, but i don't think that Kaleb was worth it. You know him, hes just going to get into trouble again, and now you have that guy out for you. My advice is that you get out of here as fast as you can. Most people don't get a warning until it's too late. You still have some tie, unless he is waiting for anybody leaving the city, in which case that might be a bad idea."

"In any case, I have an underground cellar where i use to store things. You could stay there a while if you would like until maybe things cool off around here. Rumors are already flying althrough town."

Callista listened to everyword that gregory had said, but gently shook her head "I understand where you are coming from gregory, but i cannot hide he will find me no matter where i go, and i do not wish to get you or anyone else into further trouble, i have known kaleb for to long, it was not brave it was foolish, i knew something like this would happen, running, he is more than a fool than i thought, as soon as he is done with me there is no one else to look out for him, i do regret but i cannot hide, i must fight, im sorry gregory, i will miss you, but maybe this isn't the end maybe i will be able to defeat him before he defeats me, but if it is the end then i will say goodbye now, goodbye gregory" Callista stood up and walked across the room, she grabbed her cloack pulled it over her shoulders, patted gregory on the shoulder, and countinued to walk out of the room and the building towards her hidden training ground she used.

Callista stood opposite a small door with a deep dark scratch right across it, she ran her finger across the scratch, it disappered from under her finger and swung open, only a person with a true heart, and the will to fight evil could enter this forbidden chamber, Callista walked over to a chair on the other side of the room and put her head in her hands, "what can i do? what can i do?" she wondered to herself, from what she sensed about him he was strong and, unforgiving, or even soul-less, she shuddered at the thought, but the feeling in her heart was still with her, "the next time we meet......." she paused as she thought back to the rose, she recognised it, and then it came to her, she had once before received one of these roses, and a great battle had come out between her and a man who had decided to attack her, she had come out of it alive, but baddly wounded she ran a slim, tender finger along her side, lifting up her top just enough to see a long, slim scar reaching from her hip to just beneath her arm, but this man this 'shade' he was somewhat formiliar as if maybe he was the man before, as if she had fought with him before, "perpostrus" she thought to her self "no way could i have battled him before, if it was him then would he not of recognised me?" Callista groaned as she once again placed her banging head in her hands "there must be a way?" she heaved

OOC: by the way my character is an half-elf, with the ability to call upon the weather to aid her, but she doesn't like to because it weakens her harshly, she also is very skilled with a blade, and a bow and arrow, she trains in this room to improve her agility and her defence, she is very speedy and can go without a trace if need be.

The dark figure stood atop a cliffs edge looking down on the brightly lit village. He stood with his back against the wind, his cape blowing forewards. This night was the first time he had smiled in some time. It had been very small, and his hood prevented any from seeing it, but it was there. It had been a change in plans. This job had been getting much too tiresome recently.

Originally, there were jobs that were worth his time. But those men were all dead, they had been replaced by others, less strong, less challenging. It had been quite dissapointing.

But right when he had been about to migrate someplace else, a surprise came. There was one question however. This girl, who had challenged him so boldly, she had been so unafraid. So was this simply foolishness to be so brave, or was there something more that he was not aware of? If he had slit her throat, would it have simply grown back? Would it have released some powerful force that he did not anticipate?

How many millenia he had lived, he could no longer count, but he had not lived them by being foolish, and going blindly into battle against those who could not be beaten. He would take his time. He would learn all he could about this girl, and when he had learned enough, then he would decide what he would do with her.

As for the society of the Death Rose, they would of course be very upset. Although this would never be revealed to the public, there was no such policy for debt exchange. In fact, Ravin would be the next person who was contracted for. He smiled at the thought. He went through the hunters who would be difficult, and those who would not.

Seth might be a challenge. Viridian also might give him trouble. Mirium was extremely skilled, but lacked the patience necessary to be truly dangerous. Of course in the Society of the Death Rose's little black book of hunters, there was only a small fraction of a percentage margin between each one's abilities. Ravin (himself) was the exception.

Oh yes, and Yevaud too. Yevaud was the other exception. If Yevaud was still working the Death Rose, then Ravin would have to be very careful. Of course, Kaleb was a dead man either way. Ironically if he had stayed in town he might have survived. The Death Rose would not want to reveal dissent within their own ranks, but by going someplace where his pardon was unknown, he would die.

Ravin, like the girl who had believed herself unfollowed, would have to go back to his place of sollitude. He needed to pull out all the stops. There were some epic battles yet to come, and he would be prepared. After the week was over, he would cease to be known as The Shade. He would cease to be seen as the mystical figure who hunted down men and killed them without movement. After this week he would be known as a much more dangerous foe. A foe which had made him feared and hated throughout all time by nearly all races. A foe that made...

Too many memories. He shut them off. Mirdrial ceased to exist. Only the task before him.Once he had prepared for the rest of this night, creating his small, random storehouses of items to replenish his inventory, of specialty weapons for any occasion, while still allowing himself to be unhindered by excess weight he would hybernate for the day. He would of course alert his informants to keep tabs on any new arrivals...

OOC: Um, Ravin is a character who i believe to be out of your character's class, so i am going to mix things up a bit with a couple extra people. Be creative.

Callista stood up, she moved over to the punching bag and with the spped of light she began to punch it harder and harder, before long dust had began to fall to the floor, showing that the bag was become less likely to hold on much longer, Callista stopped out of breath and panting she had been going for about 10 minuites before she noticed the rubble, she sighed deeply and with one last punch, the bag went flying across the room smaking the wall and falling to the floor, speed and strength were two of Callista's strong points, Callista could move faster than the eye could see, she had once defeated an enemy with just speed, she had used her speed to move behind him and thrust her trusty dagger into his heart from the back, Callista also had the power of some magic, which she would not reveal here just in case someone was watching her, she sat on the floor, and closed her eye's, she could see the man, that was all she could think of, that man, that 'shade' he called himself, shade, shade, shade, Callisat smacked herself in the head "don't be stupid it would never work" she mumbled to herself "or would it?"

The next day the inns were dealing a brinsk bussiness. At the same time however, large crowds of people were moving out of the city. not enough to cause the streets to fill up, but enough to be unusual.

Since morning time, bounty hunters had been trickling into Tote village. Not that they went around verbally anouncing that they were bounty hunters, but they were all dressed very differently from those of the area, none of them acknowledged an affiliation with each other, and all of them carried weapons that were not designed for the average person.

The people here were simple, but not stupid. Rumors were flying about why the hunters could be here and who they were and what it had to do with last night.

It was only six in the morning, but already there were five new arrivals. They were the earlier, lesser hunters though, eager for a name among the ranks of assasins. They were also the ones who did the least homework. Everybody who had ever worked with Ravin (although "worked with" was the wrong term for it) knew that he was purely nocturnal. Daylight and work did not mix with him. He would not be showing up until nightfall.

That was not to say that he was not keeping track of his target. Hunters were well known for using informants to track targets.

It was six fifteen when Gregory pounded on her door. Again he did not wiat for the response, and he opened the door into the chamber which Callista had thought so secret. He was holding some hot breakfast food, and a large bag of dry meal. You also notice that he is wearing a long sword at his waist, a net on his belt, and a whip as well. You also notice that he is wearing light armor, however all of it is meant to be concealed under the long coat that he is wearing. You only catch random glimpses of the inventory.

"I'm sorry for intruding and i know that im not supposed to know about this place, but last night i followed you to make sure that you were ok before going to bed. Anyway i thing that you should know that there are five strange looking men in town all residing at various inns and houses. It is rumored that they are all bounty hunters. A lot of people are leaving town (OOC:keep in mind that you do not know that Ravin broke protocal. As far as you know, these men are all after you.). They think that something ugly is about to take place. All i know is that something bad is going down here, and you need to be extra careful. I was going to suggest that you leave town before dawn break, but then one of those guys came in and i didn't think that that was a good idea.'

"I brought you some hot breakfast for this morning. I also brought you some food and a few little items that i think might come in handy. I hid them in the sack so that if somebody were suspicious, i could prove that there was nothing to b suspicious about. I am checked to make sure that i wasn't followed so nobody should know where you are. My best advice is still just to stay hidden until all of this blows over. And of course, if you need anything, make sure to say so. I will do my best."

Gregory does not say anything, but kind of just waits there for you to say or do something. It seems clear that he is concerned and would like to help but does not know what he should do.

OOC: Ok, um, basically i am leaving it up to you to decide how musch time to waste between post. Granted, if you walk around and interact with people then you cannot assume that you have passed six hours is a single post, but feel free to pass time at your leisure once you remain in any isolated area.

Callista, gasped as the door of the room burst open, she pulled her covers up around her, and looked stunned at gregory at the door "how? what? why?" she mumbled as gregory, put the breakfast on the table next to her bed "ummm thank you" said Callista still suprised "umm you don't think you could um turn around while i get dressed do you?" she said in a polite, quite voice, she pulled her clothes on and once again, asked "me? oh i suppose it was because of that man wasn't it?" she sighed, "maybe your right, maybe i should stay here intill those, men have gone just in case" she said with a slight intone in her voice